Alyssa Reynolds: Getting It Done

Day Owl Winemaker Alyssa Reynolds

May 27, 2021

Much like Day Owl, the California Rosé she makes, Alyssa Reynolds isn’t afraid to take up space in the room and make her presence known. A California native with her degree in Viticulture and Enology, Reynolds brings passion, creativity, and innovation to her role as Day Owl’s winemaker, crafting a wine that salutes boss women everywhere.

Reynolds found her way into the world of wine through an unusual path, an off-hand comment from her father during some time off before going to college.

“I had a conversation with my dad where he jokingly suggested I get into winemaking,” she told us. “Despite it being an offhand comment in an unrelated conversation, my interest was piqued. I was delighted to find out it was a path I could take, and not a profession behind closed doors that required generational family legacies to get into. I was accepted to Fresno State for Enology, and the rest is history. I continued to fall in love with the whole world of winemaking all through college and can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

We spoke to Reynolds about her journey through winemaking, and the innovative perspective she brought to creating Day Owl’s unique flavor profile.

What was your first job in the industry, and what was that experience like?

Alyssa Reynolds: My first winemaking job was a harvest internship at a large valley winery. I worked the graveyard shift from 11 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., and most days had to rush back to school right after getting off work for an 8 a.m. soils lecture. My longest days were nearly 24 hours, work at 11 p.m., done with school at 10 p.m. the next day. I was mostly just a grunt, mixing enzyme dilutions in huge buckets for the night’s incoming fruit and directing grape trucks in the middle of the night. I loved it — the sounds, the smells, the cool night air. I felt like I was part of some big, beautiful system that ultimately creates something wonderful. I was fascinated by this large-scale winemaking, where the winemaking team was supported by a skilled cellar crew, working together to make something greater than the sum of their parts.

In your opinion, why has rosé exploded in popularity in recent years?

Rosé is approachable. Red and white varietals, particularly the bigger ones, can feel very steeped in tradition to a new consumer, with a “right” way to make, drink, and talk about them. Rosé carries the same tradition, but with less of the pomp and circumstance. It is also delicious, a lovely color, and a perfect “any time” option.

Day Owl is also a very strongly female-driven brand, with women at every stage of the process, from vineyard relations and winemaking, through to bottling, marketing, and sales. Everyone on the team is passionate about championing women and seeing them succeed, which makes for a very special vibe that we hope comes through in our wine.
- Alyssa Reynolds

Tell us about the Day Owl brand and what makes it such a unique entry in the rosé category?

The wine itself is primarily Barbera, which is an unusual choice for a rosé blend. Barbera brings a wonderful bright acidity to the wine, and delicious tart strawberry and refreshing watermelon characters that really define the overall style. Day Owl is also a very strongly female-driven brand, with women at every stage of the process, from vineyard relations and winemaking, through to bottling, marketing, and sales. Everyone on the team is passionate about championing women and seeing them succeed, which makes for a very special vibe that we hope comes through in our wine.

Tell us about your winemaking process.

All good wines begin in the vineyards. While we have a viticulture team to oversee the day to day and make minor adjustments throughout the season, I try to get out to the vineyards as much as possible to monitor vine health, fruit development, and eventually, help on harvest day to ensure the perfect balance of ripeness, acidity, and color. Once at the winery, every step of the way I try to keep wines clean and approachable. For rosé, this means yeast selections that highlight the natural fruit, cool fermentation temperatures, and constant monitoring of fermentation health. Determining a final blend is my favorite part. We ferment all varieties separately, so I lock myself in a room for a few hours, come up with some options, and then take them to my team. Never underestimate the power of a good team to help identify blind spots or come up with new ideas.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

My greatest accomplishment is learning how to work as part of a team. The ability to let go of ego and work as part of a group to accomplish large tasks bigger than what I could do alone is such a joy. I value the opinion and expertise of everyone I work with, and in turn it makes me a better winemaker and person. A good team behind me to offer honest feedback and suggestions makes all of the wines I am involved with better.

What advice would you have for women looking to break into the wine industry?

Do it! Push forward, learn everything you can, harness your enthusiasm, and get into it! I can’t speak for the sales or restaurant sides of the industry, however on the production side I have worked with many amazing women, and there is so much room for more.

What does wine mean to you and your story?

Wine has been the framework in which I have learned about myself and what I am capable of. I started college at 20 and have been surrounded by wine for almost ten years. There is a lot of growth that happens at that point in your life, and I have had the simultaneously exciting and reassuring backbone of winemaking to guide me along, push me out of my comfort zone, and teach me about myself. Winemaking is a part of who I am and how I define my goals and my successes.

This story is part of our award-winning “Women in Wine” series, our long-running effort to highlight winemakers, sustainable specialists, executives, and others making a positive impact in the world of wine.

To learn more, please visit https://dayowlwines.com/.